Most child care settings in the United States are homes, not centers

Home-based child care offers options to families seeking affordable, accessible care that fits their needs, whether the provider is someone they know or a provider committed to a long-term career in child care. Home-based care may be a child’s primary arrangement, or it may be a second arrangement that supplements center-based care. As policymakers and early childhood education professionals seek opportunities to support the early childhood workforce, they should recognize the diversity of home-based child care and acknowledge its role in the lives of children, families, and providers.